Bill Traffley
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1878-1886)
Bill Traffley was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1878 to 1886 for the Chicago Cubs, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, and the Baltimore Orioles, a span of 9 seasons. In 179 career games, he hit .175 with 116 hits, 1 home runs, and 36 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 185 lb
- Died
- 6/23/1908 in Des Moines, IA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1878-07-27
- Last Game
- 1886-07-29
Full name: William Franklin Traffley
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 179 | 663 | 85 | 116 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 36 | 8 | 34 | 1 | .175 | .220 | .235 | .455 | -2,292 |
Career AVG .175 vs. league average .247 across their career seasons — 29.3% below league average.
Career OBP .220 vs. league average .288 across their career seasons — 23.6% below league average.
Career SLG .235 vs. league average .331 across their career seasons — 28.9% below league average.
Career OPS .455 vs. league average .618 across their career seasons — 26.4% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1878 | CHN | NL | 2 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .111 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1883 | CN2 | AA | 30 | 105 | 17 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | .200 | .257 (-22%) | .285 (-20%) | .345 (-28%) | .631 (-24%) | -344.8 |
| 1884 | BL2 | AA | 53 | 210 | 25 | 37 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .176 | .243 (-28%) | .278 (-31%) | .327 (-23%) | .606 (-27%) | -798.4 |
| 1885 | BL2 | AA | 69 | 254 | 27 | 39 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 17 | 0 | .154 | .244 (-37%) | .287 (-25%) | .325 (-32%) | .613 (-29%) | -986.2 |
| 1886 | BL2 | AA | 25 | 85 | 15 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 0 | .212 | .246 (-14%) | .302 (-3%) | .331 (-29%) | .634 (-16%) | -162.4 |
| Career · 5 seasons | 179 | 663 | 85 | 116 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 36 | 8 | 34 | 1 | .175 | — | — | — | — | -2,292 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2B | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| C | 164 | 0 | 969 | 233 | 95 | 18 |
| OF | 16 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1878 | CHN | C | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1883 | CN2 | C | 29 | 0 | 121 | 33 | 27 | 2 |
| 1883 | CN2 | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1884 | BL2 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1884 | BL2 | C | 47 | 0 | 321 | 57 | 30 | 6 |
| 1884 | BL2 | OF | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1885 | BL2 | 2B | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| 1885 | BL2 | C | 61 | 0 | 357 | 105 | 28 | 6 |
| 1885 | BL2 | OF | 10 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1886 | BL2 | C | 25 | 0 | 163 | 35 | 10 | 4 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 164 |
| First Base | 1 |
| Second Base | 3 |
| Shortstop | 2 |
| Center Field | 5 |
| Right Field | 11 |
Bill Traffley: the record in brief
Bill Traffley's major league career runs from a debut on July 27, 1878 to a final game on July 29, 1886. By club, Traffley's seasons break down as the Chicago White Stockings (1878), the Cincinnati Red Stockings (1883), and the Baltimore Orioles (1884 through 1886). Traffley is listed as a catcher at 5 feet, 11 inches and 185 pounds. Traffley both batted and threw right-handed, per the bio block. Traffley was born on December 21, 1859, in Staten Island, NY, USA. Traffley's death is recorded on June 23, 1908, in Des Moines, IA, USA. The bio lists the given name William Franklin.
Across 179 games at the plate, Traffley's career line reads 116 hits in 663 at bats for a .175 average, adding 1 home run and 36 RBI. The on-base percentage is .220 and the slugging percentage .235, for an OPS of .455. Set against a .247 league average for the same years, Traffley's .175 average sits 29.3% below it. The OPS comparison is .455 to a league .618, 26.4% below average. The hits column peaks at 39, in 1885.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bill Traffley
- What years did Bill Traffley play?
- Bill Traffley played in Major League Baseball from 1878 to 1886.
- Was Bill Traffley a pitcher?
- No. Bill Traffley was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Bill Traffley hit?
- Bill Traffley hit 1 career home runs with 116 hits.
- What was Bill Traffley's career batting average?
- Bill Traffley batted .175 over his career, with 116 hits in 663 at bats.
- How many RBI did Bill Traffley have?
- Bill Traffley drove in 36 runs in his career.
- Is Bill Traffley in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Bill Traffley has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.